Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is concluding another banner year of growth and innovation, marking significant milestones across its fleet, network, and product innovation initiatives, cementing its position as a market leader and industry trendsetter.
Since January 2017, Emirates has carried over 59 million passengers. The airline served over 63 million meals on its flights departing Dubai, and moved over 35 million pieces of baggage in Dubai to its network of 156 destinations.
Emirates registered over 3,600 passenger flights on average per week, or over 191,000 flights in 2017, travelling more than 886 million km around the globe, which is equivalent to over 16,000 trips to Mars.
Reflecting on the year, Sir Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline said: “Despite the ups and downs of 2017, Emirates delivered steady growth and we have come out stronger and even more resilient.
"Throughout the year, we challenged convention and acted nimbly to mitigate challenges and maximise opportunities. We implemented initiatives to boost revenues, trim costs, and used emerging technologies to make our business and operations more agile, without compromising on quality or service.
"We enter 2018 with optimism, and an unflagging drive to keep raising the bar in terms of customer experience and business performance.”
Emirates grew its fleet by 21 new aircraft in 2017, with 9 A380 and 12 Boeing 777-300ER deliveries, rounding off the year with 269 aircraft, and 243 aircraft pending delivery. The airline also retired 11 aircraft over the course of the year.
The airline marked nine years of A380 operations and also celebrated its 100th A380 delivery milestone in November, strengthening Emirates’ position as the world’s largest operator of the iconic double-decker aircraft. The Emirates A380 has carried over 90 million passengers since its introduction in 2008.
Powering its fleet expansion and future growth, Emirates made global headlines at the Dubai Airshow when it placed a $15.1 billion order for 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The order will enable the airline to maintain a young and efficient fleet, complementing its Boeing 777 and A380 fleet by providing more flexibility to serve a host of new destinations and help unlock further growth.
Emirates expanded its network to 156 destinations in 2017, with the addition of three new passenger destinations: Newark, US via Athens; Zagreb, Croatia; and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
In addition, Emirates boosted frequencies and upgraded capacity to several points across its network, reaffirming the airline’s commitment to offer greater choice and connections for its customers.
In July, Emirates entered into a significant partnership with FlyDubai, which includes an extensive codeshare agreement, strategic schedule alignment, as well as optimising synergies to eventually offer travellers access to over 200 destinations on the combined networks of both airlines.
In March, the airline launched its enhanced A380 Onboard Lounge, featuring an airier look and feel; new seating arrangements; private yacht-inspired décor, as well as new high-tech touches including lighting and surround sound.
In November, Emirates unveiled its game-changing, fully enclosed Boeing 777-300ER First Class private suites, part of a multi-million dollar upgrade that saw enhancements across all cabin classes.